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October 18, 2011

It all began quite innocently. My husband and I were strolling along the streets of Petaluma, California, in 2001 viewing the city's annual outdoor quilt show. Petaluma is blessed with a number of antique shops and, during our stroll, I dashed in and out of several of these shops looking for antique quilts and fabrics. Had I not entered Chelsea Antiques at the end of the day, this blog would not exist--nor would my friendship with Mary Holton Robare, the two books I've since written, the pleasure of hours immersed in Quaker records, and the memories of trips to Ohio and Iowa tracking down details of the lives of people who lived over 150 years ago.

Petaluma Quilt Show, 2001.

I found and bought an old, worn quilt at Chelsea Antiques that day. That quilt, made in Ohio in 1853 for Philena Cooper Hambleton, literally changed my life. What began as a mild interest in the 39 people whose names were written on the quilt gradually became an all-engrossing quest to know them.

I'd researched a couple of signature quilts before Philena's quilt came into my life but none of them had been Quaker quilts. When I discovered that the majority of people named on Philena's quilt were Quakers, reams of research material materialized to reveal their daily lives, their beliefs, the issues of the day, and the ways in which at least a small group of people coped with 19th century American life during times of turbulence and expansion.

In considering what makes Quaker quilts special enough to warrant a blog, Mary and I had to acknowledge that, in general, 18th and 19th century Quaker quilts are much like the quilts made by non-Quakers. Quaker quilt makers tended to follow the trends prevalent in their larger communities, making whole-cloth quilts followed by the album sampler quilts and single-pattern friendship quilts so popular in the 19th century. When signature quilts became popular in the middle of that century, Quakers made quilts in this style too.

Quilt historians have noted some characteristics of Quaker signature quilts that seem to recur but are not always present. These include the grouping of names in family units on the face of the quilt, the use of the Quaker method of date notation (e.g., 5th day 7th mo. 1823), and placing the names of husband and wife together on a single block. However, these characteristics do not present themselves on every Quaker signature quilt and are also known to occur on quilts made by non-Quakers.

So, what makes Quaker signature quilts special? Mary puts it this way: "When a name on a quilt is identified as Quaker, it opens the window to some special opportunities for exploring history. This is largely because, historically, members of the Religious Society of Friends kept wonderful, detailed records. These records augment what can be found in public documents. By studying the history of Quaker quilters and block-inscribers, we can glimpse some of the mid-19th century forces that shaped America. Because they had access to the finest materials and newest ideas of their times, we can also appreciate many of their quilts as show-pieces of their day."

Mary and I are hosting this blog to share information and resources needed to research quilts made and inscribed by members of the Religious Society of Friends. (Much of the forthcoming information, however, will apply equally well to researching any signature quilt, Quaker-made or not.) We will concentrate on 19th century Quaker signature quilts, the sources and locations of Quaker records, and information about the history and practices of the Religious Society of Friends to illumine 19th century Quaker lives and provide context for appreciating their quilts. We invite you to join us!

Ann Hanna Hambleton

Ann was the mother-in-law of Philena Cooper Hambleton, the subject of Philena's Friendship Quilt: A Quaker Farewell to Ohio, and the great-aunt of Senator Marcus Hanna of Ohio.

American Quilt Study Group

Do you know about the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG)? If not, you should. The purpose of this non-profit organization is to establish, sustain, and promote the highest standards for quilt related studies, to encourage these studies, and to provide opportunities to disseminate the work of both academic and non-academic researchers. Membership in the AQSG entitles one to receive Uncoverings, an annual journal of the research papers presented at AQSG's yearly Seminar, and a quarterly publication titled Blanket Statements containing research papers, notes and queries, as well as AQSG and quilt world news. In addition, an annual directory is provided that lists the names, contact information, and interests of current AQSG members--a valuable networking resource that gives access to approximately 950 fellow quilt enthusiasts. Click on the quilt block above to visit AQSG's web site and learn how to become a member. The site also provides information about the organization's annual Seminar, its publication opportunities, its Quilt Study program, and the Technical Guides and other publications available to members and the general public. AQSG is also on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Quilt-Study-Group/149056808116.

Quaker Quilts: Snapshots from an Exhibition

This pamphlet by Mary Holton Robare contains photographic and informational snapshots of quilts that were displayed in a three-day exhibit of Quaker Quilts held at Abram's Delight Museum in Winchester, Virginia, in 2014. The exhibit featured twenty-six quilts made between ca. 1840 and 2007. Click on the image to learn more about it.

Quilts and Quaker Heritage

Mary Holton Robare's book on selected quilts from an exhibition at the Virginia Quilt Museum in 2008. Click on the book to order and search by title.

Philena's Friendship Quilt: A Quaker Farewell to Ohio

In this 4th publication of the Ohio Quilt Series published by Ohio University Press, Lynda Salter Chenoweth presents the story of Philena Cooper Hambleton and the quilt made for her in Ohio in 1853 to take with her when she migrated to Iowa. To order, click on the book and then search by title.

Neighbors and Friends: Quakers in Community

Lynda Salter Chenoweth's second book based on her research into Philena's quilt tells the stories of those whose names appear on the quilt and places their lives in context. To order, click on the book and then search by title.

When This You See Remember Me

Also of interest by Mary Holton Robare. Schoolgirl Samplers of Winchester and Frederick County, Virginia. To order, click on the book, click "Store", then "Softcover Books" and search on title.

Followers

Copyright

(c) 2011-2017 Lynda Salter Chenoweth and Mary Holton Robare. Absolutely no reproduction or distribution permitted beyond one copy for personal study. For additional permissions regarding text please e-mail lchen@saber.net. All images are reproduced with permission of copyright holders. Any commercial or online use is strictly forbidden.

Lynda Salter Chenoweth

Mary Holton Robare

About Us

Lynda and Mary are quilt historians experienced in researching and publishing information about quilts made by members of the Religious Society of Friends. Their particular interest is in 19th century inscribed quilts that document Quaker families and their communities.
Lynda lives in Sonoma,California, and is a writer, a quilter, a researcher, and a member of the Board of the American Quilt Study Group. Mary lives in Winchester, Virginia, and is a writer, a researcher, and a choreographer and dance instructor.